Bangkok and the Kingdom of Siam

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Last Updated on: 21st September 2021, 09:33 pm

</p> <div class="wp-block-group has-background is-layout-flow" style="background-color:#f0f5f9"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container"> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="essential-travel-resources-for-2022"><span class="ez-toc-section" id="My_Favorite_Travel_Booking_Sites_for_2023"></span>My Favorite Travel Booking Sites for 2023<span class="ez-toc-section-end"></span></h2> <p>These are my favorite companies that I use on my own travels.</p> <p><strong>Protect Your Trip via <a href="https://safetywing.com/?referenceID=historyfangirl&utm_source=historyfangirl&utm_medium=Ambassador" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Safety Wing</a></strong></p> <p><strong>Find the best city tours, day tours, bus tours, & skip-the-line tickets on <a href="https://www.getyourguide.com?partner_id=IC159RL&cmp=TravelResourcesBox" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">GetYourGuide</a></strong> <strong>and</strong> <a href="https://tp.media/r?marker=323431&trs=133583&p=1922&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.viator.com%2F" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow"><strong>Viato</strong>r</a>.</p> <p><strong>Find the best deals on hotels & vacation rentals on <a href="https://www.booking.com/index.en-gb.html?aid=1339889" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Booking.com</a></strong>.</p> <p><strong>For English-speaking private airport transfers, book through <a href="https://www.welcomepickups.com/?tap_a=26297-438366&tap_s=3543591-eb23d7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Welcome Pickups.</a></strong></p> <p><strong>For road trips and independent travel, rent a car through <a href="https://www.discovercars.com/?a_aid=oklahomawonders" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Discover Cars</a></strong>.</p> <p><strong>Find information and cruise reviews on <a href="https://tp.media/r?marker=323431&trs=133583&p=5259&u=https%3A%2F%2Fcruisecritic.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Cruise Critic.</a></strong></p> <p><strong>For packing and travel essentials order via <a href="https://amzn.to/2VL7GND" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Amazon</a></strong>.</p> <p><strong>Book an affordable family or romantic photography session on your trip through <a href="http://flytog.co/mQn52qP" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Flytographer</a></strong> <strong>(Use the code <a href="http://flytog.co/mQn52qP" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">HISTORYFANGIRL</a> for 10% off your first photoshoot).</strong></p> <p><strong>For travel guidebooks to have with you during your trip, I always pick one or two from <a href="https://amzn.to/3tVg4a4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Rick Steves</a> and <a href="https://amzn.to/2VXmpoO" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Lonely Planet.</a></strong></p> </div></div> <p>In January I took a <a href="https://www.lifeofbrit.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-solo-female-travel-in-asia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">solo trip to Southeast Asia,</a> and—somewhat arbitrarily—I decided to make Bangkok, Thailand my first stop. Ever since being entranced by the famed musical <em>The King and I </em>as a kid, I’ve been fascinated with the Kingdom of Siam, and have been cognizant of the push and pull of tradition and colonization that Siam and so many countries have experienced. My guest today to talk about the history of Bangkok and Siam is Charles Kimball of the History of Southeast Asia podcast. Charles and I chat about how Bangkok became the capital of Siam, the role the Chakri Dynasty played in keeping the country independent for centuries, and how history and fiction collide in <em>The King and I</em>.</p> <p>[bctt tweet=”The history of Thailand is one of war, independence and modernization. Listen to this week’s episode of the #HistoryFangirl #podcast.” username=””]</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span class="ez-toc-section" id="i"></span> <span class="ez-toc-section-end"></span></h2> <div class="wp-block-image wp-image-7865"><figure class="aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="819" height="1024" src="https://historyfangirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/20180106_144108-819x1024.jpg" alt="Wat Saket" class="wp-image-7865" srcset="https://historyfangirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/20180106_144108.jpg 819w, https://historyfangirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/20180106_144108-240x300.jpg 240w, https://historyfangirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/20180106_144108-768x960.jpg 768w, https://historyfangirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/20180106_144108-44x55.jpg 44w" sizes="(max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px" /><figcaption>Wat Saket</figcaption></figure></div> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span class="ez-toc-section" id="i-2"></span> <span class="ez-toc-section-end"></span></h2> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span class="ez-toc-section" id="i-3"></span> <span class="ez-toc-section-end"></span></h2> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span class="ez-toc-section" id="Siam_before_Bangkok"></span>Siam before Bangkok<span class="ez-toc-section-end"></span></h2> <p>Charles told me that the Thais were first an ethnic minority in China, eventually moving south to form their own country. But even today there are still 12 million ethnic Thais in China, a population size larger than most countries. As Charles says, you don’t hear about the Thai as a people until around 1000 A.D., and the Thais were actually an ethnic minority in their own country until about 1350 A.D. And when the Thais migrated to their own country, they had cast off much of their Chinese identity, and fully embraced Buddhism. But it wasn’t all smooth going. In the early days there were three capitals, and it wouldn’t be until King Ram Khamhaeng became king that Siam, and Thailand, as we know it would form.</p> <p>[bctt tweet=”What was the kingdom of Siam like before Bangkok? And how did the country’s embrace of Buddhism shape it? #HistoryFangirl ” username=””]</p> <div class="wp-block-image wp-image-7820"><figure class="aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="819" height="1024" src="https://historyfangirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/DSC_1110-819x1024.jpg" alt="Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha)" class="wp-image-7820" srcset="https://historyfangirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/DSC_1110.jpg 819w, https://historyfangirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/DSC_1110-240x300.jpg 240w, https://historyfangirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/DSC_1110-768x960.jpg 768w, https://historyfangirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/DSC_1110-44x55.jpg 44w" sizes="(max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px" /><figcaption>Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha)</figcaption></figure></div> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span class="ez-toc-section" id="24_wars_in_350_years"></span>24 wars in 350 years<span class="ez-toc-section-end"></span></h2> <p>Like many nations, Siam’s early history is marked by war and battles to stave off invaders. The kingdom was unified in the middle of the 15th century, but through the 16th century, Siam was often locked in a three-way battle with Laos and Burma. It was at the end of the 16th century that Naresuan came to power, and to this day Thais consider him their greatest king because of his campaigns against Burma. And by the middle of the 18th century, Thailand and Burma were waring constantly. As George tells me in this episode, the two countries fought 24 wars in the span of 350 years. And in 1782, after finding their cities laid to waste by war, the Thais moved their capital to Bangkok.</p> <p>[bctt tweet=”Burma and Thailand spent 350 years fighting 24 wars. And that was just against each other. #HistoryFangirl” username=””]</p> <div class="wp-block-image wp-image-7779"><figure class="aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="819" height="1024" src="https://historyfangirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/DSC_0898-819x1024.jpg" alt="Wat Mahathat Yuwarajarangsarit Rajaworamahavihara" class="wp-image-7779" srcset="https://historyfangirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/DSC_0898.jpg 819w, https://historyfangirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/DSC_0898-240x300.jpg 240w, https://historyfangirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/DSC_0898-768x960.jpg 768w, https://historyfangirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/DSC_0898-44x55.jpg 44w" sizes="(max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px" /><figcaption>Buddha at Wat Mahathat</figcaption></figure></div> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span class="ez-toc-section" id="Independence_of_Thailand"></span>Independence of Thailand<span class="ez-toc-section-end"></span></h2> <p>One of the most fascinating aspects of the Kingdom of Siam and Thailand was how it was able to resist colonization. While many countries in Southeast Asia, like Cambodia and Vietnam, where colonized wholly by foreign powers, for centuries Siam and Thailand has been able to remain independent (though of course, not without foreign influence). Charles chalks it up to the country’s mastery of diplomacy. While many other countries fell under foreign powers, Thailand has always been able to maintain strong relationships with other countries while maintaining control of their land. As Charles says, that makes them the “most successful” country in the region.</p> <p>[bctt tweet=”How is it that Thailand remained free of colonization while neighboring countries fell under foreign rule? #HistoryFangirl” username=””]</p> <div class="wp-block-image wp-image-7782"><figure class="aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="819" height="1024" src="https://historyfangirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/DSC_0999-819x1024.jpg" alt="At the Temple of the Emerald Buddha" class="wp-image-7782" srcset="https://historyfangirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/DSC_0999.jpg 819w, https://historyfangirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/DSC_0999-240x300.jpg 240w, https://historyfangirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/DSC_0999-768x960.jpg 768w, https://historyfangirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/DSC_0999-44x55.jpg 44w" sizes="(max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px" /><figcaption>At the Temple of the Emerald Buddha</figcaption></figure></div> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span class="ez-toc-section" id="i-4"></span> <span class="ez-toc-section-end"></span></h2> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span class="ez-toc-section" id="The_real_history_behind_The_King_and_I"></span>The real history behind The King and I<span class="ez-toc-section-end"></span></h2> <p>No discussion of Thai history and royalty would be complete without a look at the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I. Now the stage play is not well-liked in Thailand, but it is based on the real King Mongkut, and Anna Leonowens. Mongkut had established himself as a reformer with his work in the Buddhist monastery, and asked Leonowens to provide a secular education to his children. Charles points out some other characters that were important to the country as it tried to modernize, heading into the 20th century. Thailand is an amazing place, with a rich history that is all the more remarkable for the way it’s been able to maintain its independence. If you’re interested in visiting Thailand, and want to know the story behind what you find there today, you have to listen to this week’s episode.</p> <p>[bctt tweet=”Want to know the real history behind The King and I? Listen to this week’s #HistoryFangirl #podcast.” username=””]</p> <div class="wp-block-image wp-image-7780"><figure class="aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="819" height="1024" src="https://historyfangirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/DSC_1042-819x1024.jpg" alt="The Grand Palace in Bangkok" class="wp-image-7780" srcset="https://historyfangirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/DSC_1042.jpg 819w, https://historyfangirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/DSC_1042-240x300.jpg 240w, https://historyfangirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/DSC_1042-768x960.jpg 768w, https://historyfangirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/DSC_1042-44x55.jpg 44w" sizes="(max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px" /><figcaption>The Grand Palace in Bangkok</figcaption></figure></div> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span class="ez-toc-section" id="Outline_of_This_Episode"></span>Outline of This Episode<span class="ez-toc-section-end"></span></h2> <ul><li>[2:04] How Charles became interested in Southeast Asia</li><li>[6:19] Siam before Bangkok</li><li>[12:46] After Ram Kamphaeng</li><li>[16:30] How Bangkok becomes the center of the kingdom</li><li>[21:53] Bangkok’s early days</li><li>[26:15] The dynasty after Rama I</li><li>[30:49] The historical roots of The King and I</li><li>[36:48] Thailand into the 20th century</li><li>[39:27] Thailand in World War I</li><li>[47:58] Where does Thailand go from here?</li></ul> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span class="ez-toc-section" id="i-5"></span> <span class="ez-toc-section-end"></span></h2> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span class="ez-toc-section" id="Resources_Mentioned"></span>Resources Mentioned<span class="ez-toc-section-end"></span></h2> <ul><li><a href="https://www.blubrry.com/hoseasia/">The History of Southeast Asia Podcast</a></li><li><a href="https://www.blubrry.com/hoseasia/21446673/episode-16-the-elephant-wars-part-2/">The Elephant Wars Episode</a></li><li><a href="https://historyfangirl.com/temples-in-bangkok/">The 8 Temples in Bangkok You Absolutely Need to See</a></li><li><a href="https://www.thegayglobetrotter.com/thailand-travel-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Thailand Travel Guide</a></li></ul> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span class="ez-toc-section" id="i-6"></span> <span class="ez-toc-section-end"></span></h2> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span class="ez-toc-section" id="Connect_With_Stephanie"></span>Connect With Stephanie<span class="ez-toc-section-end"></span></h2> <ul><li><a href="mailto:stephanie@historyfangirl.com">stephanie@historyfangirl.com</a></li><li><a href="https://historyfangirl.com">https://historyfangirl.com</a></li><li><a href="https://www.patreon.com/historyfangirl">Support Stephanie on Patreon</a></li></ul> <p><em>Featuring the song “Places Unseen” by Lee Rosevere.</em></p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span class="ez-toc-section" id="Pin_This_For_Your_Trip_to_Thailand"></span>Pin This For Your Trip to Thailand<span class="ez-toc-section-end"></span></h2> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-11400" src="https://historyfangirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/The-Best-Temples-in-Bangkok-Thailand-2.png" alt="Bangkok and the Kingdom of Siam" width="600" height="900" srcset="https://historyfangirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/The-Best-Temples-in-Bangkok-Thailand-2.png 600w, https://historyfangirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/The-Best-Temples-in-Bangkok-Thailand-2-200x300.png 200w, https://historyfangirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/The-Best-Temples-in-Bangkok-Thailand-2-37x55.png 37w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></h2> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span class="ez-toc-section" id="i-7"></span> <span class="ez-toc-section-end"></span></h2> <div id="ez-toc-container" class="ez-toc-v2_0_49 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-container-direction"> <div class="ez-toc-title-container"> <p class="ez-toc-title">In this Article:</p> <span class="ez-toc-title-toggle"><a href="#" class="ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle" aria-label="ez-toc-toggle-icon-1"><label for="item-6477b6e9c9632" aria-label="Table of Content"><span style="display: flex;align-items: center;width: 35px;height: 30px;justify-content: center;direction:ltr;"><svg style="fill: #999;color:#999" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" class="list-377408" width="20px" height="20px" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none"><path d="M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z" fill="currentColor"></path></svg><svg style="fill: #999;color:#999" class="arrow-unsorted-368013" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="10px" height="10px" viewBox="0 0 24 24" version="1.2" baseProfile="tiny"><path d="M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z"/></svg></span></label><input type="checkbox" id="item-6477b6e9c9632"></a></span></div> <nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-visibility-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class="ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1" href="#My_Favorite_Travel_Booking_Sites_for_2023" title="My Favorite Travel Booking Sites for 2023">My Favorite Travel Booking Sites for 2023</a></li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class="ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2" href="#i" title=" "> </a></li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class="ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3" href="#i-2" title=" "> </a></li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class="ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4" href="#i-3" title=" "> </a></li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class="ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5" href="#Siam_before_Bangkok" title="Siam before Bangkok">Siam before Bangkok</a></li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class="ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6" href="#24_wars_in_350_years" title="24 wars in 350 years">24 wars in 350 years</a></li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class="ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7" href="#Independence_of_Thailand" title="Independence of Thailand">Independence of Thailand</a></li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class="ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8" href="#i-4" title=" "> </a></li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class="ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9" href="#The_real_history_behind_The_King_and_I" title="The real history behind The King and I">The real history behind The King and I</a></li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class="ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10" href="#Outline_of_This_Episode" title="Outline of This Episode">Outline of This Episode</a></li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class="ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11" href="#i-5" title=" "> </a></li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class="ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12" href="#Resources_Mentioned" title="Resources Mentioned">Resources Mentioned</a></li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class="ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13" href="#i-6" title=" "> </a></li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class="ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14" href="#Connect_With_Stephanie" title="Connect With Stephanie">Connect With Stephanie</a></li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class="ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15" href="#Pin_This_For_Your_Trip_to_Thailand" title="Pin This For Your Trip to Thailand">Pin This For Your Trip to Thailand</a></li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class="ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16" href="#i-7" title=" "> </a></li></ul></nav></div> <div style="clear:both; margin-top:0em; margin-bottom:1em;"><a href="https://historyfangirl.com/thailand-quotes-for-thailand-captions-and-statuses/" target="_blank" rel="dofollow" class="IRPP_ruby"><style> .IRPP_ruby , .IRPP_ruby .postImageUrl , .IRPP_ruby .centered-text-area { height: auto; position: relative; } .IRPP_ruby , .IRPP_ruby:hover , .IRPP_ruby:visited , .IRPP_ruby:active { border:0!important; } .IRPP_ruby .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .IRPP_ruby { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .IRPP_ruby:active , .IRPP_ruby:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #34495E; } .IRPP_ruby .postImageUrl { background-position: center; background-size: cover; float: left; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 31.59%; position: absolute; top: 0; bottom: 0; } .IRPP_ruby .centered-text-area { float: 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